CT Would Luke have been tempted by the dark side?

I know it's a popular discussion whether Anakin would have turned without Palptin's influence. That makes me wonder, if Luke had not encountered or sought revenge against Vader or Palpatine, would he still have been tempted by the dark side? I think most Jedi are tempted at some point, and I think Luke could have fallen without Palpatine or Vader trying to seduce him.

 

I don't think so. I know that "anger" is supposed to be a prerequisite for the dark side but there are also other traits at play like: selfishness, greed, entitlement, lust for power, etc. Luke may have had the anger component, but that's basically it. So I don't think that anything about the dark side would have enticed him to ever seriously consider turning.

 

It depends. The dark side is quicker and easier, thus more seductive. But ultimately, I think Luke was just too much of a good person who knew right from wrong, even though things got tough.

 

Let's not forget that Luke was greedy for power converters.

 

That's all Palpatine had to do. ‘Join me and we'll give you all the power converters you want.’

Luke: ‘Done.’ <kneels>

 

If he had a girlfriend, like Anakin had... It's possible. Luke has never been threatened with losing his wife, so we don't know if he would fall for that or not...

 

"Would"? He was tempted. Not through power but through attachment (in TESB when Vader held his friends hostage and in RotJ when Vader threatened to turn Leia). Those things could happen with or without the Sith.

 

Yes he would be tempted. He was, in fact. Fairly sure he was driven by anger and the dark side when he launched his pretty violent attack on Vader after he threatened to turn Luke's sister to the dark side.

 

Not so sure about that.
Jabba kept Han prisoner and later Leia too. And he planned to have them all killed, not Leia.
Did Luke go out of control here?
No.
Was he boiling mad or angry?
No.

The Ewoks captured Luke and co and planned to eat them, again not Leia.
And Luke was still quite calm.

So I don't think Luke will go off if someone simply threatens his friends.

Also, Palpatine says in RotJ that it will take the two of them to turn Luke.
That he has grown strong.
So the implication seemed to be that Vader alone or Palpatine alone, couldn't do it.
So no Sith?
Then it seems very hard for Luke to turn.

Bye for now.
Blackboard Monitor

 

Some sources (like the newcanon junior novelization of ROTJ) suggest that Luke did lose control - in the sense that he lost his temper and tried to shoot Jabba - that not being All Part Of The Plan.

 

Tempted, most certainly. But I don't think he would have fallen without outside manipulation.

 

He was too strong-willed and noble, it would take some drastic outside influence to turn Luke.

 

The only way Luke could reasonably fully turn to the Dark Side would be some kind of torture. Unlike Anakin, who was so paranoid and insecure about his lack of power, Luke did not have that same type of fear. He has a fear of loss, like his father, but even that isn't strong enough to corrupt him enough to seek out other teachings. His will is strong. He doesn't need the "candy and toys" that the Emperor is offering. Luke doesn't need nor want that power. He only tapped into the Dark Side when Vader directly threatened Leia; this was its own form of psychological torture.